Photographic and video cameras, and related accessories, are often mounted to objects or stands, such as tripods, cranes and other camera-carrying objects. Many quick-release mounts are available for readily attaching and detaching a camera from a stand and typically include a plate/base pair where the plate is attachable to a camera body and the base is attachable to a stand thus the plate and base feature connective members which readily attach and detach from one another.
Most quick-release mounting plates include a dovetailed tail which slides into a dovetailed socket on the base. Generally, the plate is inserted onto the base by sliding the dovetailed tail of the plate into one side of the dovetailed socket on the base, then sliding the plate along the socket to a desired position where it is then clamped in place with a clamping apparatus. Inserting the plate on the base in this manner can be referred to as “lateral insertion.” The clamping apparatus serves to restrict the plate from sliding relative to the base when in the locked position.
Modern cameras may include many accessories which extend in various directions from the camera body, such as over-sized lenses, flash bulbs, and the like. In some cases, such accessories hang below the quick-release plate, which can make lateral insertion cumbersome since such accessories may have to be removed before the plate can be seated on the base. Further, such accessories can be damaged if a user inadvertently tries to install or remove the quick-release plate from the base with an accessory overhanging the plate.
An improved quick-release camera mount is needed which overcomes these and other failings of the prior art.